In recent years, a technique that access of data stored in an apparatus is controlled based on location information of the apparatus has been developed. In this technique, for example, with respect to a specific file which was created at a user's residence and has been stored in a computer, if the current location of the computer obtained by using, e.g., a GPS (Global Positioning System) function is a location other than the user's residence, access to the specific file (e.g., a diary file) is inhibited.
Similarly, there is a technique that latitude/longitude information representing an installation location of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is compared and checked with latitude/longitude information representing an installation location of a user apparatus to which remote access should be permitted, and the remote access is disconnected when it is judged as the result of the comparison that the information representing the installation location of the user apparatus is wrong (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-306530).
Moreover, there is a technique that specific information representing an image storage apparatus of storing image data is administrated. More specifically, when the image data is requested from an external apparatus, the image storage apparatus of storing the image data is specified based on the specific information. Thus, for example, the storage location of the image data can be freely and easily changed without deteriorating user's convenience by specifying the image storage apparatus of storing the image data in question on the basis of the specific information (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-105677).
Besides, in recent years, external storage apparatuses such as a hard disk drive and the like become small but have large capacities, whereby it is easier to store large-amount data in the external storage apparatus and then bring/move it to an arbitrary location. Moreover, for example, there is a technique that various kinds of office automation equipment such as a multifunctional machine and the like connected to a network such as an internal LAN or the like has a hard disk drive of storing processed data built-in or use an external apparatus connected to the network.
However, when it is thought that downsizing and mass storage have a negative side, there is a problem that an external storage apparatus (data storage apparatus) disposed at a location where secret data should be administrated is brought out forth by a person who has an evil intention, and thus the data stored in the storage apparatus might leak. Thus, a demand for improvement of the technique capable of dealing with this problem is deep.
In addition, there is a problem that, if the data to be administrated in each office automation equipment (i.e., data processing apparatus) connected to the network is distributed and stored/processed, a data capacity increases, and the data administration is more complicated and difficult.